Chapter 169
Chapter 169
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 169
Chapter Title: Nagoya Frontline
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[Chapter 169]
“If time’s short, keep briefing me on the way. Where should I head? Tokyo base?”
(No. Please head straight to the Nagoya base.)
“Nagoya, huh? So I’m handling the defense then? Mobility-wise, rescue makes more sense.”
(Of course, that would be the more rational choice. But… the guild hunters there are overflowing with national pride. They might refuse to be rescued by a Korean, and worst case, it could spark a conflict…)
“Ah, I get the picture.”
He’d seen countless people act up over honor and pride even when their lives hung in the balance, so Yoo Seongwon understood immediately.
Sending him in for the rescue would be most efficient, but his Korean nationality was the issue. The guild hunters were one thing, but the real problem was Japan’s government saving face.
That’s why they’d opted for the less efficient plan: deploy Yoo Seongwon to the Nagoya defense line and form a rescue team with their special forces hunters to fly in via transport.
‘Fine by me. Easier gig anyway.’
For Yoo Seongwon, defending the front and smashing enemies beat flitting around searching for survivors any day, so he had no reason to object.
After wrapping up the call, he kept flying on Eldraen when another came in.
“What now? More business?”
(Pardon? This is the National Intelligence Service… Have you spoken with any other similar agencies?)
“Yeah, got calls from all over. What’s your pitch?”
(Well, it looks like you’re heading to Japan… From the intel, it seems you’re cleaning up after their S-ranks failed a subjugation.)
“Close enough.”
(So… could you slow down your flight speed to Japan a bit?)
Yoo Seongwon instantly grasped what the NIS agent meant.
The later he arrived, the more likely Japan’s S-rank hunters would die off, reducing their numbers and benefiting Korea. They were asking him to drag his feet, excuses be damned.
Japan’s government would freak if they heard, but Yoo Seongwon wasn’t one to balk.
“Hmm~ What’s my hourly rate? Japanese pay top dollar, so you’ll need to match that for this to be worth it.”
(We can’t go that far with compensation…)
“I’m not working out of patriotism anyway. Don’t wanna piss off my steady, big-paying client either. Offer something I can stomach, and I’ll think about it.”
(But you’re already getting massive sums yearly, and billions more next year. Can’t you do this one favor?)
“That was the deal we agreed on. New deal, new contract. Keep yapping, and I’ll send this recording to Japan’s government… Your call?”
(…Ugh, fine. Do as you please.)
In the end, Korea’s government got an earful just trying to score a national gain.
Their attempt was understandable, though.
Korea’s S-rank count had plummeted from ten to five, excluding Yoo Seongwon’s faction, while Japan still held sixteen. They desperately wanted to close the gap.
“Probing me, huh? All sides full of lunatics. Hmm~ They’re probably tracking my flight. Eldraen… Full throttle. Screw their shitty offer—payback’s a bitch.”
Flutter!
At Yoo Seongwon’s command, Eldraen beat its wings hard and accelerated.
Satellite, drone, radar—whatever they used, Korea’s government would know. And Yoo Seongwon couldn’t wait to see their faces when they realized he wasn’t slowing down but speeding up.
Sure enough, at the Defense Ministry and Association, they scowled at the radar showing Yoo Seongwon’s speed doubling.
“…Told you to leave him be. Psycho, that one. Knows we hate it and does it more…”
“Same thought here… but they insisted anyway…”
“Sigh~ Learn already. He’s not our ally. Korean nationality’s all he’s got—mercenary chasing his own gain. Look at him building his fortress in that frontline city… Haaa~”
A headache who picked the most hated moves, yet indispensable now—without him, Korea’s security would crumble. That was Yoo Seongwon.
Realizing they couldn’t thin Japan’s S-ranks anymore, they returned to their tasks.
***
One hour later, Nagoya frontline base.
“Land!”
Boom!
Arriving at Nagoya in under an hour, Yoo Seongwon unsummoned Eldraen and touched down.
The Japanese at the base stared in shock.
They’d expected 2-3 hours, so preparations weren’t ready—and Yoo Seongwon had arrived way early.
As they scrambled, Yoo Seongwon puzzled over their hesitation—no Korean speakers around, probably.
‘Can’t speak Japanese either. Came too fast?’
“Ah! Hunter Yoo Seongwon, thank you for arriving so quickly.”
“Seemed urgent, so I hurried.”
“Yes. Please follow me. I’ll brief you right away.”
Luckily, they soon sent a Korean-speaking staffer, who guided him to the briefing room.
The screen showed Nagoya’s frontline map, with enemies swarming from two directions.
Labels read Ming Army and Earth Army , hinting at the foes.
‘Hmm… Two armies?’
“Hunter Yoo Seongwon’s here. Ah, take the front seat there.”
“That’s the rumored…”
“Heh… real gold?”
“…….”
Heading front, he spotted three unlike the uniformed soldiers: teens in outfits more suited to school uniforms.
Locking eyes with the boy and girls, Yoo Seongwon was struck—Japan had no Baek Ga-yeon types, apparently.
Korea mobilized students only as a last resort, keeping them at academies or on non-combat support.
“What’s up?”
“No, these kids… special forces S-ranks? Their seats and aura scream it.”
“Yes, exactly. Three of them, minus the rescue team… Why?”
“Nah, nothing.”
Yeah, it happened everywhere, even before this mess—other side of the world or not.
He sat casually… but their stares aside, the weird mechanical collars around their necks bugged him more. Like animal tags.
Anyway, with Yoo Seongwon there, the paused briefing resumed.
“Let’s restart. Ming Army General leads from northwest, Earth Army General from here with his command army. So we…”
“Which is tougher?”
“Pardon? Tougher? What’s that mean?”
Korean-fluent but not native, the special forces member blinked at the slang.
Yoo Seongwon corrected quick.
“Which is harder? I’ll take it. Ah, leave some troops for leftover command soldiers, though…”
“Th-then the Ming Army General side, please. But at least hear the plan…”
“Our crew handles fighting; you clean scraps. Enemy’s going straight at us anyway… That’s our specialty too. Might’ve started already—going now. Tell your people.”
With that, he stood and left.
Stunned but aware of his feats—smashing the Dark Army General, conquering Shikoku—the special forces shrugged and resumed.
Exiting, Yoo Seongwon headed northwest, but something nagged.
“This damn world—nothing normal anywhere? Those S-rank kids… clearly not treated right.”
‘…….’
‘…….’
‘…….’
The front-seaters with dead-fish eyes stuck in his mind.
He’d bailed on the plan partly to escape that unease.
Special forces forcing S-rank kids to enlist, no real pay—just exploitation. Obvious.
If free, no identical weird mechanical collars.
“Yeah. Yeah. Everywhere the same.”
S-rank value meant control equaled free labor, huge profits.
They could justify it too—vital for holding brutal Nagoya. Breach here, Japan falls.
Logically, necessary sacrifice.
“Worse happens plenty, but still feels off.”
Nothing he could do now, though.
Put out the fire first. Yoo Seongwon drew Przhevalsky’s Lance and eyed the ground.
Waves of command soldiers, samurai, monk troops surged endlessly at the barrier.
Northwest base held with magistone rounds, artillery, awakeners, hunters—but barely.
“Uwaaaagh!”
“When’s backup?!”
“Medic! Mediiiic! Save me!”
“Whew~ Already a mess. But clumped so pretty—perfect for ‘that.’ Eldraen, rest inside.”
[Got it.]
“Evil spirits threatening humanity! Behold the skies! For life and justice! I have come here now!”
Boom!
Scanning the field and declaring war, Yoo Seongwon gripped Saint Knight Przhevalsky’s Lance, prepping a secret technique he’d lacked chances for.
Tyrant Emperor Heavenly Sword Style. The Heavenly Sword Army ruler’s skill.
AOE annihilation specialist, but no friend-foe distinction—risky. Single combat? Prep and openings too big.
“Heavens! Witness my supreme… blade! This strike proves I stand upon this earth!”
[Tyrant Emperor Heavenly Sword Style, Chapter 1—Earth Star Flash!]
Swordplay with a lance? Absurd, but ‘skills’ just needed conditions met.
Holy power in Przhevalsky’s Lance fused, blooming pure white like a star—slicing through command soldiers and samurai formations like waves.
Like sun piercing dark, one blow shredded tens of thousands in radiant light. Ming Army General, frontline defenders, special hunters—all gaped in awe.